Aubrey Huff: His Orioles Future...

[Greg Pappas]

While we have touched upon this subject before, it bears watching -yes- even this early in the season.

What lies ahead for Aubrey Huff, a free agent at the end of this season?

As I see it, there are three options:

A)Resign him to a multi-year contract.

B)Let him walk as a likely Type-A free agent.

C)Trade him during the current season.

I am an advocate of option 'C', although 'B' could be a viable alternative. Option 'A' interests me the least, by a wide margin.

The interest in a player like Huff, a bonafide clean-up hitter, should get pretty serious... especially knowing that the team getting him can somewhat recoup their losses via draft picks, sans interest in resigning Huff.

The Angels make sense, even this early in the year... now that Vlad is out a month or so. Do I expect MacPhail to deal Huff early? No. Do I expect a deal at the AS break? Expect is a strong word, but I believe MacPhail will look to deal Huff, as well as Luke Scott.

How do you feel about Huff? Do you agree with me, or would you try to resign him?

[wildcard]

IMO Huff is auditioning at first base.

If he fields well and

hits something similar to last year and

doesn't ask for a contract that is too long (maybe 2 years)

The O's may resign him. If he doesn't do any on of the three he will be traded at the deadline or after or become a free agent.

If he fails to field well at first he could DH but with cheaper options like Scott and Montanez, the O's probably do not go that route.

[waroriole]

It really is a tough call. In large part it would depend on what kind of contract he would be seeking. If it were similar to the initial deal then I would be more inclined to bring him back. However, with the year he had last year, and looks to have this year, it is doubtful we will be able to get him at close to that price.

Also, we have to see who we have that could play 1B next year. Snyder likely won't be ready by then, and Moore and Salazar will be a significant decline in production. If Reimold could make the transition, that would be the best scenario. Unfortunately, we haven't given him that chance yet.

It's a shame we don't have an option for him for next year.

[ADZ23]

Suppose he was willing to re-sign for less than market value, due to being confident in the team's direction. At what salary/yrs would you no longer be so opposed to option A?

[Greg Pappas]

Suppose he was willing to re-sign for less than market value, due to being confident in the team's direction. At what salary/yrs would you no longer be so opposed to option A?

There is no deal, at any perceived bargain, that I'd want to resign Huff. I see Huff's value lying in his trade value or at worst as a couple of high draft picks. We need to continue improving our young talent base, and players like Huff -and Luke Scott to a lesser degree- could be the means to expand said talent base.

[Brazil Os Fan]

Offer arb, make him a full time dh or take the picks.

[Say O!]

Good question.

McPhail's decisions this offseason will largely center on what to do with 1B, 3B, DH. He's got Wiggington, although they probably consider him from more of a platoon standpoint (him and Scott might make a nice DH rotation). Huff and Mora are FAs. AM is probably setting Mora up to walk, but does that mean he resigns Huff?

I do agree that AM will look trade Huff for the right deal - but my hunch is that he resigns Huff for less years and less money than people might think. Maybe a 1-$7M with an option?

All in all, the Huff question might very well be determined by what AM does at those other positions. Does he go for a Beltre? Or try to pry Brandon Wood from the Angels?

[wildcard]

There is no deal, at any perceived bargain, that I'd want to resign Huff. I see Huff's value lying in his trade value or at worst as a couple of high draft picks. We need to continue improving our young talent base, and players like Huff -and Luke Scott to a lesser degree- could be the means to expand said talent base.

If the goal is to have a winning team in 2010 and be a contender in 2011 then getting two draft choices for Huff will probably not help that plan, in fact it will probably hurt.

Draft choices that are not in the top 10 to 15 players in the draft probably take three years before they contribute in a positive fashion in the majors. So getting draft choices hurts by reducing the O's offense through the loss of Huff in 2010-2012 and adds nothing at the major league level during that period.

That does not help the O's become contenders in 2011.

[Why Not?]

I think you gotta try and trade him. I trust AM to either find a good deal or take the picks.

[Art Wing]

You think there will be more interest in him this year?

As I recall, there wasn't much if any interest when he was destroying the ball last year. Yes, it will look good for him to hold his own at first this year but then again, teams were getting him for more than just part of one season.

My opinion is C, then B, then..........A. Same as you Greg.

[waroriole]

There is no deal, at any perceived bargain, that I'd want to resign Huff. I see Huff's value lying in his trade value or at worst as a couple of high draft picks. We need to continue improving our young talent base, and players like Huff -and Luke Scott to a lesser degree- could be the means to expand said talent base.

What is your solution for 1B next year?

[birrman54]

If we want picks we need to offer arbitration, which we will (and should).

Barring dramatic changes in the free agent market, I think Huff will look at the paycuts taken by Dunn and others and choose to accept arbitration rather than pursue free agency (especially if the trade market for him is quiet this July).

[wildcard]

If we want picks we need to offer arbitration, which we will (and should).

Barring dramatic changes in the free agent market, I think Huff will look at the paycuts taken by Dunn and others and choose to accept arbitration rather than pursue free agency (especially if the trade market for him is quiet this July).

That's a good point. Lot of ways to go with that thought.

[Greg Pappas]

If the goal is to have a winning team in 2010 and be a contender in 2011 then getting two draft choices for Huff will probably not help that plan, in fact it will probably hurt.

Draft choices that are not in the top 10 to 15 players in the draft probably take three years before they contribute in a positive fashion in the majors. So getting draft choices hurts by reducing the O's offense through the loss of Huff in 2010-2012 and adds nothing at the major league level during that period.

That does not help the O's become contenders in 2011.

Contenders in '11... possibly. But I prefer trading Huff for talented youngsters who are ML ready than getting draft picks. That would be a far off second choice.

[GotNitro]

Until we know without a reasonable doubt that we can win a game while only scoring single-digit runs, I don't even like the thought of Huff leaving. I would prefer to keep him for another two years. He will still be hitting well in two years and he looks good in the field most days. We have no other pressing options at 1st base right now.